In Texas law, alimony is referred to as “spousal maintenance.” Alimony is the exception and not the rule in Texas. In fact, no U.S. state may be more restrictive than Texas in awarding it. With that said, alimony is worth seeking for countless spouses, and you shouldn’t discount it simply based on what you’ve heard. Your case is unique to you. This post is meant as a general summary of alimony in Texas. There is no substitute for speaking with a family law attorney in Smith County, Rusk County, Cherokee County, Gregg County or wherever your divorce may be filed or pending. I office in Tyler, a ..read more

Disclaimer: If you or someone you know has been abused, threatened with abuse, or subject to stalking or harassment, it’s important that you first call your local law enforcement. TLC law is a law firm, not a first responder. Part of our practice area includes filing for protective orders and defending against protective orders. This post is not designed to be a complete overview of the law regarding protective orders. There is no substitute for a consultation with a local Texas attorney about your specific case. Protective orders are publicly viewed as easy to obtain, straightforward ..read more

Striking the Balance: Aggression vs. Measured Advocacy Many clients seek out an aggressive attorney, often referred to as a “bulldog” in legal circles. There’s a common misconception that this fierce and take-no-prisoners approach is the only way to win in family law cases. Hollywood, too, has perpetuated this image by portraying attorneys as aggressive warriors who stop at nothing to secure victory. But is this stereotype of the “bulldog” attorney truly the most effective path in real-life legal scenarios? Navigating Family Law with Strategy While the desire for an aggressive advocate is unde ..read more

*This post was written May 19, 2023, and is not intended to be a comprehensive summary of the legal issues and cannot and does not account for changes in the law after May 19, 2023. This post is NO SUBSTITUTE for sitting down with a licensed Texas attorney and obtaining up to date and comprehensive legal advice on your specific legal situation* Texas Law Texas law is behind the times. Same sex marriage presents a great deal of unique legal disputes and Texas law has not yet caught up. Take for example a situation that is all-too common. A lesbian married couple decide to have a child. They dec ..read more

Sole custody is a term thrown around a lot. In my office in downtown Tyler I meet with numerous potential clients seeking an attorney for a family law case, whether it be in Smith County, Gregg County, Rusk County, Henderson County, Wood County, Cherokee County or Upshur County. After they get their coffee, get settled in, and I get basic introductions and formalities out of the way, I typically ask some variation of a simple question: “What do you want the judge to order?”  A broad question to be sure, but this question isn’t just about determining what parents want out of their case. I ..read more

Business Planning and Tax Planning Attorney Elected as Fellow of Texas Bar Foundation Annually, just one-third of 1% of State Bar members are invited to become fellows. Once nominees are picked, they must be elected by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Tyler TX: TLC Law, PLLC is proud to announce that attorney Kacie Czapla has been elected as a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Kacie Czapla has extensive education and work experience in business planning, tax planning, and estate planning. Fellows are nominated for exceptional professional achievements and demonstrated commitment to improv ..read more

As an attorney, I’m in court a lot. Most weeks I scarcely go two days without going to court. It’s what I do. I go to court to help my clients achieve their ends, whether it’s adopting a child whose parents have been terminated, protecting a child from abuse or neglect, establishing more child support for a stay-at-home mom, or helping a father get time with a child whose mother has been in hiding. Whatever the situation, my primary job is to advocate for my clients in court. The end result of all this time in court? A stack of papers signed by a judge…something we call a court order. Parents ..read more

I get so frustrated with S corporations that I think it deserves a rant…I mean blog post. Many clients call my office for business or tax planning advice in all phases of business ownership. Some are at the beginning and still able to easily implement my suggestions (and I love those); others are twenty years into an accounting nightmare and ready to sell to a third party, and of course, there is a wide range in between these extremes.  One thing that I do see with almost all my clients is a misunderstanding of S corporations. S corporations are believed to be the savior and ultimate tax ..read more

Going to Court and What to Expect if and When I Get There Many clients and potential clients want to know if they have to go to court. And if they do, what happens when they get there and raise their right hand and take the stand. Of course, in criminal cases, court typically involves a jury trial, which many defendants have a basic understanding of. Most defendants also understand that if a plea bargain is reached, they typically don’t have a jury trial and don’t need to testify in a meaningful way other than pleading guilty and accepting the plea bargain. This is vastly oversimplified. Crimi ..read more

If you have one, want one, or wish you had one, you know how important a geographic restriction is. For the uninitiated, a geographic restriction can be your saving grace or a real thorn in your side. So, what is a geographic restriction? Quite simply, a geographic restriction is a provision in many custody orders (divorce decrees, orders in suits affecting the parent-child relationship) that prevents the “custodial” parent from moving the child’s primary residence outside of a certain geographic area. For instance, a geographic restriction could say that the father has the “exclusive right to ..read more